Explore Voter Support for Conservation, Greenland’s Disappearing Ice Sheet, and Coral Rescue in Florida Through the Aquarium’s Virtual Lectures in October

September 28, 2020

WHAT: Throughout October the Aquarium of the Pacific will offer virtual lectures streamed live online and free to watch from home as its Guest Speaker Series as part of the Online Academy.

As the election approaches, the Aquarium will host a lecture that will examine support for environmental issues at the ballot among communities of color. In this virtual lecture on October 8, viewers will have the opportunity to hear from Hazel Wong, the director of Global Conservation Campaigns at The Nature Conservancy. Wong will highlight polling data showing attitudes among communities of color vis a vis white communities when it comes to environmental issues. She will then ask why, despite our planet’s climate and biodiversity crisis, the environment still has negligible influence on elections. Aquarium President and CEO Dr. Peter Kareiva will also talk with Wong about her background growing up in Seychelles, a group of islands of the east coast of Africa, and her connections to marine environments.

On October 15 journalist and historian Jon Gertner will discuss his book, Ice at the End of the World: An Epic Journey into Greenland’s Buried Past and Our Perilous Future. The book provides an account of the explorers and scientists working to understand the rapidly melting ice sheet in Greenland, a dramatic harbinger of climate change.

Representatives of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project will share the story of rescuing corals in Florida on October 22. The story is being written by scientists, field biologists, and public aquariums across the country. It features exotic places, a cunning villain, a host of colorful characters, and heroes: a team working together to save the day. Speakers will include the program’s coordinator Beth Firchau and others from her team including Dallas Zoo Conservation Programs Manager Chris Corpus.

The Guest Speaker Series is part of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Online Academy, which offers free live and on-demand educational resources for both kids and adults.

WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Voting: Hazel Wong Thursday, October 15, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Greenland’s ice: Jon Gertner Thursday, October 22, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Florida coral: Beth Firchau

WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific’s website: aquariumofpacific.org

COST: Anyone can tune in for FREE (no RSVPs required)

INFO: (562) 590-3100 or visit aquariumofpacific.org/news/lectures

LECTURE SERIES SPONSORS: Courtyard Long Beach Downtown and Gazette Newspapers

ONLINE ACADEMY: The Aquarium is offering free online resources with daily live and on-demand content for kids and adults through its Online Academy. This includes live daily live classes, exhibit webcams, virtual festivals, and the Guest Speaker Series. You can visit the Aquarium’s website or follow its social media channels for live feeds and updates. A schedule and links to these resources can be found on the Aquarium’s Online Academy webpage.

AQUARIUM: The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Shark Lagoon, Lorikeet Forest, June Keyes Penguin Habitat, the Molina Animal Care Center, moon jelly touch tank, and the Seals and Sea Lions Habitat. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months, VIP Entrance, and other special benefits. Visit the Aquarium’s website for reopening information at aquariumofpacific.org or call (562) 590-3100.